The present invention relates to improvements in thermoformed plastic containers for deli food and more particularly, to such a container for packaging pre-prepared foods of the type commonly referred to as "deli foods".
Containers for food or other articles thermoformed from plastic material normally comprise a lid and base which may be hinged to each other or may be separate parts. In order to hold the lid and base of the container in closed condition, it is necessary that the lid and base have a closure which can be manually opened and closed with relative ease. However, the closure should be capable of securely closing the container to avoid accidental opening or leakage of the contents. Containers for deli foods should have a lock which seals against liquid spillage.
Various types of closures have been proposed in the past. Some have included latching or locking structures. For example, cylindrical male and female locking elements have been proposed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,576,330. U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,356--Dahl shows a container in which tabs are provided for opening the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,046,659 is an example of a food container made of clear plastic which presents an attractive appearance for the food, plus a unique locking closure. However, deli foods are most often packaged in foil bags, However, deli foods are most often packaged in foil bags, plastic bags, foil pans with deli overwraps or polystyrene foam trays with overwraps. It is an object of the present invention to improve the presentation of foods in containers which can be used for microwave heating of the contents.